A blue lantern and white walls above the Gulf of Tunis, Sidi Bou Said
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Luxury in Tunisia

Sidi Bou Said

A village of white walls and blue doors on a cliff above the sea, painters’ favourite for a century, with the ruins of Carthage and the medina of Tunis close by.

The Gulf of Tunis from Sidi Bou SaidPhotograph: Pexels

Marhaba

Blue doors above Carthage

Sidi Bou Said is a village of white houses, blue doors and window grilles and bougainvillea on a cliff above the Gulf of Tunis. Since 1915 the law has required it to keep its colours, and it remains one of the most beautiful villages in the Mediterranean.

Painters came early: Paul Klee and August Macke visited in 1914, and the French baron Rodolphe d’Erlanger built his palace, Ennejma Ezzahra, here in the 1910s, now a museum of Arab music. The café on the steps still looks out over the sea.

Below the village lie the ruins of Carthage, the great rival of Rome, World Heritage, and the Bardo museum in Tunis holds one of the finest collections of Roman mosaics in the world. The medina of Tunis, also World Heritage, is twenty minutes away.

A few words of Tunisian Arabic
EnglishTunisian ArabicSay it
Helloعسلامةah-SLEM-a (or French bonjour)
Pleaseيعيشكya-AY-shek (or s'il vous plaît)
Thank youيعيشك / شكراًya-AY-shek / SHUK-ran (or merci)
Good eveningمسا الخيرMSA el-KHEYR (or bonsoir)
The bill, pleaseالحساب يعيشكel-hi-SAAB, ya-AY-shek (or l'addition, s'il vous plaît)

Where to go

Sidi Bou Said at a glance

When to go and how to arrive privately.

Tunis and Sidi Bou Said

Best time to visitJune and September are ideal: a sea at 22–25°C (72–77°F) and almost no rain, without the 34°C (93–94°F) heat of July and August.

  • Stay
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Tunis-Carthage International Airport (TUN / DTTA), about 20 to 30 minutes by car to Sidi Bou Said.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
No superyacht marina here yet meets our standard. The marina below Sidi Bou Said takes smaller yachts (draught of about 2 to 3 metres); superyachts usually anchor off Sidi Bou Said, where clearance can be done in under an hour, with yacht agents based at La Goulette, about 15 minutes away by car.

Cruises

Sidi Bou Said by sea

How the ships arrive in Sidi Bou Said, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships berth at La Goulette, about 10 km from Sidi Bou Said and Carthage.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Experience

Events and things to do in Sidi Bou Said

The Sidi Bou Said year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

  • Bardo National MuseumTunis

    A 19th-century royal palace, opened as a museum in 1888, with one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics, including the Virgil Mosaic. Visit website ↗

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

  • Roman Theatre of Carthage

    The 7,500-seat ancient theatre that has hosted the International Festival of Carthage each July and August since 1964, with names from Ray Charles to Charles Aznavour. Visit website ↗

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Sidi Bou Said and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Sidi Bou Said

Where is Sidi Bou Said?

On the coast about 20 kilometres north-east of Tunis, Tunisia, beside Carthage. Tunis-Carthage airport takes private jets and is about 20 minutes away.

What is Sidi Bou Said famous for?

Its white houses and blue doors, its cliff-top views over the Gulf of Tunis, the painters who loved it, the Ennejma Ezzahra palace, and its place beside the ruins of Carthage.

When is the best time to visit Sidi Bou Said?

June and September are ideal: a sea at 22–25°C (72–77°F) and almost no rain, without the 34°C (93–94°F) heat of July and August.

How do you arrive in Sidi Bou Said by private jet?

Tunis-Carthage International Airport (TUN / DTTA), about 20 to 30 minutes by car to Sidi Bou Said.

Do you tip in Sidi Bou Said?

Not mandatory in local cafés, restaurants or taxis, where leaving loose change is customary. Restaurants used to visitors generally expect around 10%. Small cash tips for drivers are appreciated. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Tunisian dinars.

What should you wear in Sidi Bou Said?

Tunisia is more conservative than Southern Europe but relaxed by regional standards; Western clothing is normal in cities and resorts. Cover shoulders and knees for mosques and religious sites, and bring a scarf. Keep swimwear to the beach, pool or boat, and dress more modestly outside resorts and in rural areas. On yachts, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.

Beyond Sidi Bou Said

More in Tunisia

Tunis and the Mediterranean beyond.

TunisiaTunisia Travel: Sidi Bou Said & CarthageExplore TunisiaThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Sidi Bou Said, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Sidi Bou Said

How Tunisia does things.

Language
Arabic is the official language, spoken daily as Tunisian Arabic (Derja). French is spoken by most Tunisians and is the working language of hotels, restaurants and business. English is less common, though staff at luxury hotels usually speak it.
Greetings
A handshake is standard, though some women may prefer not to shake hands with men; follow their lead. Cheek kisses are used between friends and family but are not universal, so let the other person set the tone. French greetings (bonjour, bonsoir) are perfectly natural.
Dress
Tunisia is more conservative than Southern Europe but relaxed by regional standards; Western clothing is normal in cities and resorts. Cover shoulders and knees for mosques and religious sites, and bring a scarf. Keep swimwear to the beach, pool or boat, and dress more modestly outside resorts and in rural areas. On yachts, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.
Dining
Lunch is typically from about 12.30–2.30 pm and dinner from about 8 pm, later in summer. Reserve at well-known restaurants in Tunis, Sidi Bou Said and Hammamet.
Tipping
Not mandatory in local cafés, restaurants or taxis, where leaving loose change is customary. Restaurants used to visitors generally expect around 10%. Small cash tips for drivers are appreciated. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Tunisian dinars.
Good to know
During Ramadan and in July and August, offices work a shortened day (roughly 7.30 am–1.30 pm), and during Ramadan many shops and cafés close in daylight hours and reopen after sunset. The Tunisian dinar cannot be taken out of the country, so change only what you need.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.